Weight Management Program FAQs

SUMMARY:

The NFHS Rules and OHSAA Weight Management Program is intended to reduce rapid and excessive weight loss. The intent is to help wrestlers experience healthy and safe competition. Coaches and officials are encouraged to cooperate and assist one another to meet the intent of these rules and regulations. If a question arises and an answer is not readily accessible, please call the OHSAA office at 614-267-2502 or email Tyler Brooks at tbrooks@ohsaa.org.

QUESTIONS FROM COACHES, WRESTLERS AND OFFICIALS

Q.

My wrestler's weight assessment allows him to wrestle at 105.4 lbs. (7% body fat) at his lowest weight. If he weighs in at 103.2 lbs., can he wrestle?

A.

Yes. He remains eligible in the 106 lb weight class.

Q.

On Friday, my wrestler is allowed to weigh 138.1 lbs., on Saturday he can weigh 136.7 lbs. Can I enter him at the 138 lb. weight class on Friday?

A.

No. He must enter the tournament in the 145 lb. class and remain in that weight class for the tournament.

Q.

On Friday, my wrestler can weigh 133 pounds. The tournament in which he'll wrestle has informed us that a one pound allowance due to successive days will be in effect. Can he wrestle in the 132 lb. weight class?

A.

No. A wrestler is NOT eligible for a lower weight class because of allowances for successive days of wrestling which then brings a weight class up to the wrestler's minimum weight.

Q.

I have a wrestler whose minimum wrestling weight is 126.9 (7% body fat). What happens if he weighs in at 126.5? Is there an allowance for variance between scales?

A.

The wrestler is eligible to compete in the 132 lb. class, but not lower. He must weigh more that 126 pounds. The scales at the competition site are the "official" scales.

Q.

What documentation must a coach provide to "prove" that a wrestler is eligible at a specific weight?

A.

A coach must have the wrestler’s weight loss plan or an event’s weigh-in form found on the Trackwrestling website. Coaches must generate a weigh in form.

Q.

A wrestler had an initial assessment weight of 186.1 on November 22. His projected lowest weight is 169.30 on January 3. He is permitted to lose 2.8 pounds per week (1.5%). On December 6, his weight loss plan shows that he can weigh 180.5 lbs. (182 pound class). What happens if he weighs less than that, say 169.5 pounds?

A.

The wrestler is eligible to participate in the 182 pound weight class. He remains eligible in the 182 pound class as his weight descends and CANNOT wrestle in the next lower weight class until his plan allows it.

Q.

What if a wrestler weighs 172.1 lbs. (182 class) on December 27 and on January 3 he can weigh 169.3 (170 class). When can the wrestler compete at 170 lbs.?

A.

He is eligible at 170 on the date indicated on the individual weight loss plan or on the Trackwrestling-generated weigh in form.

Q.

Our team is competing in the Monster Tournament. The information sent to us indicates we'll weigh out on Friday night. Is this a problem?

A.

No, weigh-outs are permitted by the OHSAA office on a case-by-case basis. The tournament manager needs to contact the OHSAA office prior to the tournament.

QUESTIONS FROM COACHES AND ASSESSORS

Q.

What should wrestlers wear for the assessment weigh-in and actual assessment?

A.

“Weigh-in attire” is appropriate. As stated in the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book:

Per the NFHS Wrestling Rule Book, Section 4-5-7:

“Any contestant shall weigh in wearing a suitable undergarment that completely covers the buttocks and the groin area. Female contestants must also wear a suitable undergarment that covers their breasts.”

The OHSAA Wrestling Weight Management Program shall use this same definition for appropriate assessment attire for the weighing portion, meaning the wrestler may wear any garment that fits this definition during the weighing portion of the assessment.

Male athletes wearing only compression shorts or briefs are appropriately dressed, and shall be weighed in that attire.

Clarification – there is no weight allowance for clothing while being weighed.

Q.

Can an allowance be made for the clothing worn during the weigh-in portion of the Alpha assessment?

A.

No, no allowance can be made.

Q.

If a wrestler "fails" the hydration test should we continue the assessment process?

A.

No. The wrestler must wait 48 hours before he/she may be assessed.

Q.

What happens if we do the Alpha weight and assessment on December 2? Will we be able to wrestle on December 4?

A.

An assessor is permitted 72 hours to enter the Alpha assessment data. No wrestler is permitted to wrestle until their assessment data appears in Trackwrestling. Check with the assessors to see when the data will be online.

Q.

Can a team have two different assessment dates?

A.

The intent is to have the team be present and assessed with another team. Students who come out for wrestling at a later date would be assessed after they joined the team and before they wrestle in any match.

Q.

Is it correct that Lange calipers or a set of equal quality must be used?

A.

Yes.

Q.

Is each OHSAA assessor operating under the CLIA certificate obtained by the OHSAA?

A.

Yes, The OHSAA obtained a CLIA certificate waiver which permits all OHSAA assessors to utilize reagent strips to test hydration in order to provide a body fat assessment.

Q.

Must Bayer reagent strips be used?

A.

Bayer reagent stripes are preferred; however, a number of assessors have called with concerns that their employers use comparable, but different brands. In such cases, we allow the use of comparable strips.